William Plunkett Harris was born on February 27, 1797, in Cayuga, New York, the second child of John Harris and Mary Richardson. With partner Robert Wilson he owned and operated a number of ships on the Mississippi River between 1826 and 1830. In 1830, Harris and Wilson journeyed to Texas, to present large claims against the estate of William's brother, John R. Harris. Harris participated in the Anahuac Disturbance in 1832 and was active in the provisional government serving as chairman of the committee on naval affairs, as a representative of Harrisburg at the Consultation, and as a member of the General Council. During the Texas Revolution, he was a collector at the Port of Galveston and operated his steamboats for transporting materiel to the Texian Army. Later Harris was land commissioner of Harrisburg County (1838), an alderman of the town of Harrisburg (1842), and a director of the Harrisburg Town Company. In 1840, William Plunkett Harris married Caroline E. Morgan with whom he had 2 children. He died at his estate in Red Bluff in 1843. His wife, Caroline, became administrator of his estate.

Financial and legal papers document the life and career of William Plunkett Harris in Texas between the years 1833 and 1843. Promissory notes, statements of account, and receipts record Harris' financial affairs. Of interest is a bill from Dr. Maurice L. Birdsall, which lists patients as black woman, wife, self and the cost of each visit and procedure. Two deeds (1833) executed with business partner Robert Wilson, a vote by proxy for Harrisburg Town Company Board of Directors, and an affidavit comprise the legal documents. Financial and legal documents (7) concerned with settling the affairs of William Plunkett Harris after his death are included in the estate papers series.

Archivist's Note

Other related papers from the Adele Briscoe Looscan Collection include the John R. and Jane Harris Papers, the Harris Family Papers, the Mary Jane Harris Briscoe Papers, the Birdsall Family Papers, the Lewis Birdsall Harris Papers, and the DeWitt Clinton Harris Papers. All photographs are located in the Adele Briscoe Looscan Papers.

Arrangement

Organized into two series: Financial and Legal; arrangement is chronological.

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None.

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Open for research by appointment.

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